Experimenting in Vermont

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Tue May 10, 2011 9:54 pm

I was happy to see that the severe winter up here hadn't wiped out my first experimental outdoor garden. The Opuntia look about the same as the ones I had in NY--in other words, dull and unimpressive. So I had every hope that I'd soon see signs of life. Now that the rain has stopped, I snapped these photos two days ago. (The potted ones had wintered-over in the unheated garage.)

This F.latispinus was inside with me in NY all winter. Now it resides outside (always in the pot, as I know it's not winter-hardy here) next to the garden, where it gets strong sun almost all day and is facing south, protected from the strong north winds by the garden shed. I also read it is a voracious drinker, so it'll stay there through all the rainstorms as well. You may remember from a past post that it has had stagnant buds since winter. So maybe this will be the year for the flowers!

After several days of sun and warmer temps, today I took a closer look at the in-ground ones. The O.humifusa ARE showing some signs of new growth and they're lifting off the ground a bit more. The O.polyacantha and the C.imbricata, although not showing new growth, appear to have come through unscathed. The only one I'm sure I lost is the potted C.whippeli. Too cold for it even inside.

Post by **daiv** » Tue May 10, 2011 9:58 pm

They will look even better as spring wears on!

I am surprised at the C.whippeli because those can even survive most winters here until they eventually croak.

RayC · Post by **RayC** » Tue May 10, 2011 10:11 pm

They don't look bad to me. Mine outside here in Ct just started showing signs of new growth last week. My O.humifusa seems to know New england weather well, starts a little later then some others and is first to lay down in the fall.

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Tue May 10, 2011 10:57 pm

I too am surprised at the C. whipplei. I'm sure it wasn't cold that got it if it was inside, I don't know what though. As you know I planted that same clone here and it breezed through the winter under 2 feet of snow. Its just now hinting at a large amount of new growth so I may be in for quite a spurt soon.

C. imbricata var. argentea rotted from the roots up but I may have saved a piece in time.

C. imbricata var. arborescens is looking well with first hints of new growth now.

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Wed May 11, 2011 4:50 am

Andy_CT wrote:I too am surprised at the C. whipplei. I'm sure it wasn't cold that got it if it was inside, I don't know what though. As you know I planted that same clone here and it breezed through the winter under 2 feet of snow.

It registered a minimum of minus 11F (if I remember correctly), but I don't know for how long. Outside, I was told it reached -18 a few nights in a row. Of course, indoors it didn't have the benefit of a snow cover.

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 3:28 am

We've apparently finally paid our dues here and are getting some beautiful growing weather around 80 degrees. Here are some of new growth (no flowers yet) on my Opuntia and Cylindropuntia.

Some of the ubiquitous O.humifusa:

A planted O.polyacantha 'North Dakota' that survived the winter buried in snow:

A potted one kept inside that I will plant this season:

A planted C.imbricata v arborescens--also an outdoor winter survivor.(Andy, pls correct me if I've confused this with the argentea)

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:39 am

Names look right to me.

fanaticactus wrote:

Lots of flower buds there, a good show coming.

RayC · Post by **RayC** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:45 pm

They are looking great. They should really be taking off this month.

Post by **daiv** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 1:36 pm

Look at the difference between your May 10 post. You see them in the spring right after snow melt and to me it is always depressing. I am still amazed at how they quickly transform.

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 4:02 pm

Thanks, everyone. The new patio and (old) pergola should be ready by next weekend. Maybe at that point, I'll be able to make a larger, somewhat more elaborate permanent cactus garden. I plan to order some hard-grown specimens of Echinocereus and Escobaria this summer.

@Andy - I've always been confused at the difference in appearance between Opuntia flower buds & new pad growth. Can you (or anyone) explain the difference?

@Ray - I can barely wait for the 'explosion' to happen! Keep posting pics of your garden, too. I like to follow the progress in the southern, exotic, tropical part of NE (CT) and compare it to mine!

@Daiv - I, too, marvel at their resiliance & their impatience to start a new season. They sure adapt more quickly than I do to the sudden change from 60 degrees, no sun and downpours for two weeks to 80+ degrees and blazing sun and no rain!

*Barracuda_52* · Post by ***Barracuda_52*** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 4:15 pm

Looky at all that new growth, looking GREAT!!

RayC · Post by **RayC** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 4:36 pm

I actually have a few pics, just haven't poted them yet, and like Andy I expect I may have a few better ones in a few weeks.

I also have trouble determining flower buds from pads. I just have to wait until they get big enough to see if they stay round (flower) or flatten(new pads)

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:46 pm

fanaticactus wrote: @Andy - I've always been confused at the difference in appearance between Opuntia flower buds & new pad growth. Can you (or anyone) explain the difference?

Well my limited experience with O. humifusa flowers says those are buds because of where they are on the plant (away from the center). When you get a whole bunch like that at the extremities they are mostly all gonna be buds, this also assumes the plant is large enough to flower alot and yours is. After the plant flowers it will then send a pad or two out from the same area. O. humifusa is a true go getter, it is nuts how fast it can grow/flower.

These below coming from the base are all pads. There is a difference in appearance from the buds already

fanaticactus wrote:

Compare your bud picture to one of mine thats further along

This buds for you!!

: budtime.jpg (73.48 KiB) Viewed 2045 times

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 4:21 am

Thanks, Andy. I think I can see what you mean by the difference in the appearance and definitely the location. Yes, last year the first cuttings hadn't been in the ground more than a month when they looked like this:

I had great success with them on a southwest facing embankment in NY until a real bad winter got them--plus salt from the street and a stranglehold by pachysandra, which invaded faster than I could keep up with it.

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 4:54 pm

THE HOT WEATHER BROUGHT SOME RESULTS!
It looks as if I might have a nice display of yellow on my O.humifusa in about another week--with sun.

...and that's only one section of it.

The clematis and iris make an interesting 'frame' for the small cactus garden.

The C.imbricata arborescens already planted shows nice new growth. The other cutting that spent the winter in a pot in the garage (no photo) doesn't show nearly as much new green on it. Would that be because the wintering-over outside stimulates faster, more robust growth?

On the other hand, this O.polyacantha 'North Dakota' kept inside in a pot (but soon to be planted in the garden) shows several new pads. And, in this shot, the growth on the RIGHT seems to have a different shape; seen in 3D it is much rounder. Could it be a flower? If so, it will be less than a year since it's been rooted. The second O.poly..., planted--no photo, has new growth & they all appear to be pads.